


Flowers and Farms

by trashy6282



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, LIKE SLOW SLOW, Original Character(s), References to Depression, SORRY SCHOOL DRAINS ME, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slow Updates, aight so like, and thats it, doctor type shit, enjoy, we vibing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashy6282/pseuds/trashy6282
Summary: Lily didn't expect change to come when she needed it most, but that's what she got. Moving to Stardew Valley may have been just the right move to clear her head and get on with her life.
Relationships: Harvey (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Harvey/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Kudos: 2





	Flowers and Farms

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! I originally used this as my final for a creative writing class because I had no other ideas. When I talked to my friends about it they realized I should post it on here and I completely agree with them. Enjoy!

My parents always said I was born to make a difference in this world, and I used to believe them. With their constant encouragement I pushed myself to every limit I had, I graduated high school at the top of my class, and got into my dream college. An environmental science/education major, with a minor in economics, I was supposed to be teaching about how we could improve our environment, the way it works, and what humans do that affect it, to high schoolers! I always tried looking for jobs, but there were no openings. I was highly qualified too! I spent eight years of my life working my ass off for a Doctorate, only for there to be no jobs available by the time I got out. It wasn’t my fault there were no jobs, but it was the fact that the owner of JojaMart revolutionized the education system. Replacing teachers with tv, there are now shows that are ‘teaching’ students better than any human could. Don’t say you heard it from me, but it’s a load of bull.

Even if I despise the Joja Company and its owner, I still have to work for them. There were no other job openings and I was starting to lose hope, so as soon as Joja reached out and offered me a position, I took it. I was happy in the past when I first joined, but now its become a bore. Working in an office wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life! And it still isn’t what I want to do. But it’s what I have to do.

-

It’s been about 2 years since I got out of college and began working for JojaMart. I manage their customer portfolios, reading over every name and recording how much they spend on groceries and other products during the year. Recently there has been an influx of people joining our rewards program and it has to do with Joja expanding its company branches. They reach out to even the smallest communities, the poorest communities and cater to the low incomes by providing discounted profits. It’s a terrible thing to witness, and as someone who knows why those communities are there and how this is against everything I learned about in school and my morals, let me just say, it sucks. I’m sick and tired of this job now, it has torn me down, destroyed my personality, and my familial or friendly connections. I just want out.

-

I sit in my apartment alone and on the bed in silence. I don’t remember how long I have been sitting here, but I can tell it’s been for a pretty long time. The stark white from the envelope on my lap now stands out against the darkness of my room,and seems to be staring into my soul. The purple seal with the PT on it has a waxy finish, although it seems to just be a sticker. Reaching over to the lamp on my bedside table, flip the switch to on and the room illuminates it, reminding me of how real this could be. I pick up the envelope and flip it around in my hands a few more times. The perfect cursive on the front reads “For Lily, open when needing a change,” and reminds me that this is real, and that it really is a note from my grandfather. Turning it back around to the seal, I wrap my trembling fingers around the edge of it and slowly tear up. The underside of it is sticky, confirming my original idea that it was a sticker. Ripping event more carefully now, I manage to get the sticker off without ripping the envelope at all. Flipping over the flap, I reach my hand into the slit and grab the neatly folded piece of paper that was hiding from me for so many years. I lift open the first section and see my grandpa’s neat and intense handwriting. Opening it the rest of the way and quickly reading through its contents, I have to put the letter down in order to regain my composure. My grandfather’s old farm is still standing and waiting for me. It seems unbelievable but it has to be, it says it right here. And my grandpa left me a contact to call. This is insane but I need to call this number right now.

Making my way to my kitchen I place the letter on the counter, grab the phone off the wall, and dial up the man names Lewis my grandpa told me to say hi to. After a couple of rings, there is a click on the other end as the person picks up their phone. An elder man’s voice makes its way through the receiver into my ear saying, “Hello? Who is it?” Quickly regaining my composure, I reply,

“Hi, this is Lily, my grandpa used to have a farm in Pelican Town and told me to contact you with this number? Lewis right?”

The man on the other end chuckles, “Well you are confident in yourself Lily. Yes, this is Lewis speaking, and I remember your grandpa very well. He was a good friend of mine. But anyway why are you calling, and at this hour too?”

Talking through my smile, I explain how after my grandfather died he left me this letter telling me to open it when I needed a change, just like he did all those years ago, and how he left the farm for me for when I would really need it. Lewis goes quiet for a while before saying, “Well? What are you going to do now? Catch the last bus of the night on your way to Stardew Valley just to get to Pelican Town?”

“Now that you say that Lewis, I might do exactly that. Expect me tomorrow morning when the bus gets to the valley. I better be able to put a name to a face.” That was pretty bold of me, but I liked that confidence.

“Lily! Didn’t think you would be one of those impulsive types of people, but then again I don’t even know you that well yet. Let’s hope everything works out. I’ll either meet you by the bus stop tomorrow or in your grandfathers’ farmhouse. It needs a little cleaning up that’s for sure.”

My smile stretches across my face as I say, “Thank you for doing this on such short notice! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Hanging the phone back up on the receiver I stand In place for a few moments rethinking over everything that just happened. This is a reality, and now I need to start packing.


End file.
